Tetra Safestart Fish-in Cycle

[digitallinh]

I started a fish-in cycle with Tetra Safestart (12 danios and a Pearl Gourami in a 29 gallon, one danio died the first night) around 5 days ago and doing tests everyday, I never experienced a nitrite spike.

I tested multiple times everyday and the No2 never went above .03mg/l (or yellow on the Tetra test kit)

The ammonia hovered around .25 mg/l throughout the week and today it was 0.

Aren't I supposed to experience a Nitrite/ammonia spike?

I have a few small plants in the aquarium that I added about 2-3 days in, could this be the reason?

This is my very first tank and I am a little worried, it all seemed a bit too easy.

Thanks in advance

P.S. By a few small plants I mean - This

I am curious if the amount of plants I have could cause my tank to not cycle properly.

 

[tarpon]

Poor fish that's too many to put in initially.

 

[jetajockey]

tetra safestart is intended to be used with a full stock of fish. I don't usually recommend it, since it makes things more difficult if for some reason it doesn't work.

Either way, looks like it's doing well. If its doing as-intended, you may never see spikes in either ammonia or nitrite. Just keep looking for nitrates and keep testing to make sure the fish are safe.

 

[tarpon]

tetra safestart is intended to be used with a full stock of fish. I don't usually recommend it, since it makes things more difficult if for some reason it d

Ooohhh
I was just going by what I heard

 

[Terrance]

You're not suppose to get any spikes. I also want to get some tetra safestart. Seems like its working for your tank. If it didn't work, then I would dump more of the bottle in my tank.